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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PBBM urged to seek new VFAs with other nations after China laser attack

PBBM urged to seek new VFAs with other nations after China laser attack

Published Feb 15, 2023 03:17 pm

The Philippine government must enter into a Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with other nations, as it has with the United States, to pave way for defense and security cooperation, a Mindanao lawmaker said on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (left) and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (right) (Photo from Rep. Rodriguez via Facebook)

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. must consider talks of having VFAs with Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea apart from Japan.

“We should negotiate and enter into Visiting Forces Agreements, like the one we have with the United States, in the face of heightened threats from China,” he said, referring to China’s use of a military-grade laser against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship.

PCG’s BRP Malapascua was headed to Ayungin Shoal in the disputed South China Sea to assist a Navy ship for a resupply mission last week.

Beijing has claimed that the PCG vessel intruded into Chinese waters and urged Manila to respect its territorial sovereignty.

READ: Canada, US, other nations call out China’s laser attack vs PCG vessel

While strongly condemning the Chinese Coast Guard’s vessel’s laser attack, the Mindanao lawmaker dismissed such assertion as “nonsense.”

“How can we intrude into our own territory? How about China heeding our incessant appeals for them to respect our territorial rights and interests and stop harassing and bullying our Coast Guard and Navy personnel and our fishermen?” he asked.

Rodriguez noted the conduct of “harassment tactics” by China was “unacceptable and detestable, and beyond the realm of civilized conduct.”

“How long our patriotic people, with their sense of national pride, could bear such harassment and bullying, I don’t know, but at some point, it has to stop. Enough is enough,” he said.

President Marcos has announced his intention to forge a VFA with Japan during his five-day visit to Tokyo last week.

He said the defense pact could help the Philippines protect its maritime territory, including the fisherfolk. Japan has expressed readiness to participate in joint military exercises and humanitarian missions in the Philippines.



Related Tags

VFA intrusion United States AYUNGIN SHOAL Japan laser attack china President Marcos
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